Lockable mounting for retaining a removable item to a base

ABSTRACT

A mounting for retaining item (12) to a base (17) comprising a male and female element (11 and 15) to be located on the moveable item (12) or base (17) respectively or vice versa. Said male portion (11) having a disc like configuration and having at least one flange like protrusion (18) at one face thereof and to one side thereof which is spaced from the other face. Said female portion 15 having an aperature (16) at one face thereof which is of corresponding configuration and dimensions as the male member (11) at the other face.

This INVENTION relates to a means for lockably retaining a removablemember to a base.

In one form the invention resides in a lockable mounting for retaining amovable item to a base comprising a male and female element to besupported by the removable item and base respectively or vice versa,said male portion having a disc like configuration and the femaleportion formed with an aperture of corresponding configuration whereinthe outer most portion of the aperture is of reduced dimensions, saidmale portion being formed at one side with at least one lateralprotrusion at its outer most face.

According to a preferred feature of the invention said base comprisesthe cooking surface or a stove.

The invention will be more fully understood in the light of thefollowing description of one specific embodiment. The description ismade with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional elevation showing a removable itemassociated with the locking means of the embodiment;

FIG. 2 illustrates an alternative form of locking means;

FIG. 3 is an underneath view of a first element of the locking means;and

FIG. 4 illustrates a number of variations of configuration of theelements of the locking means of the embodiment.

The embodiment is directed towards a locking means which has particularapplication for retaining cooking utensils such as saucepans, pans andthe like on the cooking surface of the stove. It is well known that thekitchen is one of the most dangerous localities in a house and inparticular the stove area which when in use supports a number ofdifferent pots and pans each containing hot contents and each of whichmay be readily tipped over if mis-handled. This danger is particularlygreat where young children are present who cannot see what is in thesaucepan and who as a result of their curiosity may pull the handle ofthe saucepan causing its contents to be tipped on them. Many childrenare seriously injured or killed as a result of such incidents.

It is an object of the embodiment to provide a means of retaining suchpots and pans on the cooking surface to prevent accidental dislodgementand yet facilitate ready removable of such pots and pans when desired.

The embodiment comprises a locking means consisting of two elements, thefirst element is to be applied to the underneath of a pan or saucepan ormay be formed integrally therewith. The first element comprises a pairof circular discs of equivalent dimension wherein a first disc 13 isbonded or otherwise affixed to the underneath of a pan and the seconddisc 14 is bonded or otherwise fixed to the first disc but is displacedslightly off centre from the first disc such that a portion of thesecond disc extends beyond the perimeter of the first disc 13 to definea flange 18 spaced from the base of the utensil 12. If desired the firstelement 11 may be formed integrally into the base of the pan and ifdesired the first and second discs 13 and 14 may be formed integrally.

The second element 15 of the embodiment is to be mounted over thecooking zone whether it be an electric hotplate or ring or a gas burner,and comprises an aperture 16 formed in a support 17 having aconfiguration corresponding to the configuration of the first and seconddisc 13 and 14. The thickness of the support 17 is less than or equal tothe thickness of the first disc 13 or spacing of the flange formed bythe second disc 14 from the underneath of the cooking utensil 12.

As shown at FIG. 1 the support 17 may comprise a planar surface or asshown at FIG. 2 may comprise a ring.

In use the first element is located on the base of a saucepan integrallyor otherwise such that the flange is remote from the handle of thesaucepan (as shown in phantom in FIG. 1). To locate a saucepan onto thebase the saucepan is tipped slightly such that the flange formed by thesecond disc 14 is lowermost in order that the flange can be insertedunderneath the support 17 to allow the remainder of the first element 11to be located in the aperture 16. Once in position the pan cannot beaccidently tipped by downward pressure on the handle which is the mostlikely event where young children are present. In addition the saucepancannot be displaced laterally from its position on the stove unless oneside of the saucepan remote from the flange is lifted slightly and thepan is moved obliquely upwardly away from the support 17 as shown by thearrow A of FIG. 1.

Where the aperture in the second element is circular the saucepan can berotated about a vertical axis without the locking elements becomingdislodged.

It should be appreciated that the degree by which the second disc may bemounted off centre from the first disc can be varied according to thecircumstances in which the element is to be used. In addition the firstelement may be located in association with the working zone and thesecond element mounted to the cooking utensil.

As shown at FIG. 4 the first and second element need not be restrictedto the particular configuration shown at FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The principalfeature of the first element resides in the flange 18 which is formed toone side due to the outer face of the first element having a greaterarea than the inner face. The aperture 16 of the second element 15 hasan opening corresponding in size to or slightly larger than the minimumarea of the first element and is symmetrical in cross-section whereinthe internal wall of the aperture has a cross-sectional configurationcorresponding substantially to that of the edge of the second member inthe region of the flange 18. Where the cross-sectional configuration ofthe internal wall of the aperture 16 and the flanged portion of thefirst element are not the same, the configuration should be such thatthere is positive engagement between the two with the minimum of freeplay.

It will be appreciated that the second element 15 may take the form of aplate as shown at FIG. 4 or a base with the aperture 16 machined intothe upper surface of the base of limited depth depending on thethickness of the first element.

If desired the flange may be discontinuous to take the form of a seriesof lugs around the first element. Alternatively the flange may take theform of a single lug.

In addition the first and second element need not be of a circularconfiguration but may be of elliptical polygonal any other suitableshape.

It should be appreciated that the scope of the present invention neednot be limited to the particular scope of the embodiment describedabove. In particular the invention need not be limited to theapplication described in relation to the embodiment and may be used inany situation where is desired to positively locate an item on a base toprevent accidental dislodgment of that item or tipping of that item.

Other applications of the invention may include means for lockablymounting items such as computers, calculators, typewriters, televisions,clothing irons, telephones and the like to a base. If such a mountingwas used the item is positively held to the base but is readily removedand the item may be readily rotated on the base without any danger ofthe item being tipped over or dropped.

I claim:
 1. An arrangement for detachable mounting a movable member to abase member for free rotation of said movable member relative to aidbase member about a perpendicularly extending axis while preventingperpendicularly movement of said movable member relative to said basemember in all rotated positions of said movable member, said mountingarrangement comprising a female element fixed relative to one of saidmembers and have a continuous flange defining a continuous circularopening, around said perpendicularly expending axis and a male elementfixed relative to the other of said members and having a first disk-likepart complementary to and adapted to be received in said female elementopening for supporting said members for relative rotation about the axisof said opening, said male element further having a second parteccentrically disposed relative to said first part and defining aneccentric flange adapted to underlie said continuous flange fordetachable connecting said members together and preventing perpendicularmovement of said male element relative to said female element, saideccentric flange of said male member and said circular opening of saidfemale member being assembled and interlocked by sliding said eccentricflange and said circular opening transversely relative to each otheruntil said eccentric flange underlies said female element and thenmoving said elements to bring first disk-like part of said male memberinto registry with said female element opening so that said eccentricflange interlocks with said female element.
 2. An arrangement as setforth in claim 1 wherein the flanges are configured so that the movablemember may be removed from the base member by lifting the side of themovable member disposed away from its associated flange in a verticaldirection and then transversely moving the movable member relative tothe base member for disassociating the members.
 3. An arrangement as setforth in claim 2 wherein the movable member has a handle disposeddiametrically opposite to its flange.
 4. A mounting as claimed at claim1 wherein said movable member comprises a cooking utensil such as asaucepan, pan or the like utensil and said base member comprises a heatsource such as a stove top.
 5. A mounting as claimed at claim 4 whereinthe male element is mounted to the cooking utensil.
 6. A mounting asclaimed at claim 5 wherein the flange is located remote from the handleof the cooking utensil.
 7. A mounting as claimed at claim 5 wherein themale element is integral with the base of the cooking utensil.